If you are a Guatemalan granted asylum in the United States, the trip home is the one with the most risk. Your asylum was granted because of what you feared in a country, and if your claim was about Guatemala, that country is home. To travel abroad and come back, an asylee who is not yet a permanent resident needs a refugee travel document, requested on Form I-131 before leaving. And USCIS warns asylees that traveling to the country of claimed persecution can lead to termination of asylum. This page covers the US document and the warning. For how asylum itself works, see our guide to asylum for Guatemalans in the US; this page does not repeat it.
Quick summary: An asylee (or derivative asylee) who is not a permanent resident must have a refugee travel document to return, unless they hold an advance parole document. File Form I-131 on paper, before you leave; if USCIS requires biometrics, attend the appointment before you leave. Fee for asylees: $165 (16 or older), $135 (under 16) (USCIS G-1055, edition 10/07/26). The document is valid for 1 year and cannot be extended. The I-131 instructions warn that asylum status may be terminated if it is determined you voluntarily availed yourself of the protection of your country of nationality. If your claim was against Guatemala, get legal advice before any trip there.
Which document you need to return
| Your situation | Document to return to the US | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Asylee, not a permanent resident | Refugee travel document, unless you hold an advance parole document | USCIS travel-documents page; I-131 instructions |
| Derivative asylee | Refugee travel document | USCIS travel-documents page |
| Permanent resident who got the Green Card through asylum | May apply for a refugee travel document; the instructions mention other documentation such as a Green Card and passport | I-131 instructions |
| Asylum applicant (case still pending) | Advance parole, obtained before leaving | USCIS travel-documents page |
For pending applicants USCIS says: “If you leave the United States without first obtaining advance parole, we will assume that you have abandoned your asylum application.” For asylees and derivatives: “If you do not obtain a refugee travel document before you leave the U.S., you may be unable to re-enter the United States or you may be placed in removal proceedings before an immigration judge.”
For permanent residents planning long trips abroad, see our reentry permit guide.
The warning about traveling to Guatemala
The I-131 instructions carry a travel warning on voluntary re-availment, addressed to asylees who travel to the country of claimed persecution: “If an alien applied for asylum on or after April 1, 1997, their asylum status may be terminated if it is determined that they have voluntarily availed themselves of the protection of their country of nationality or, if stateless, country of last habitual residence.” The instructions cite INA section 208(c)(2)(D), 8 U.S.C. 1158(c)(2)(D).
The statute says asylum does not convey a right to remain permanently in the United States and may be terminated if the Attorney General determines, among other grounds, that the person has “voluntarily availed himself or herself of the protection” of their country of nationality.
The form itself asks about this. In Part 6 (only for refugee travel documents) you must:
- Name the country from which you are an asylee, the country that was the basis for your status.
- Say whether you intend to use the refugee travel document to travel to that country.
- Say whether you have returned to that country, and whether you have received any benefit (the instructions give health insurance as an example), travel document, passport or reentry permit since you were granted asylum.
- Say whether you have acquired a new nationality, or been granted asylum or refugee status in another country.
USCIS’s optional evidence checklist (on the Spanish-language I-131 page) asks for a statement explaining the reason for any yes answer in Part 6. For a Guatemalan asylee, that includes a trip to Guatemala and a Guatemalan passport obtained after the grant, for example at a consulate (our page on the Guatemalan passport from the USA covers that process). How USCIS weighs those answers in a particular case is a legal question; ask an immigration attorney or an accredited representative before you apply for the passport or book the trip.
Cost and how to file
| Item | Refugee travel document (Form I-131) |
|---|---|
| Fee, asylee or permanent resident through asylee status, 16 or older | $165 |
| Fee, asylee or permanent resident through asylee status, under 16 | $135 |
| Fee, refugee status or permanent resident through refugee status | $0 |
| Fee waiver | Certain applicants may be eligible (Form I-912) |
| Filing method | Paper only (not available online) |
| Form edition | Instructions dated 01/20/25 |
| Validity | 1 year, cannot be extended |
Sources: USCIS G-1055 fee schedule PDF (edition 10/07/26), USCIS Form I-131 page (last reviewed 10/07/2026) and I-131 instructions, read 15 October 2026. For the fee waiver form, see our I-912 guide.
Steps, per the I-131 instructions:
- Apply from inside the US, before the trip. “The alien must apply BEFORE they leave the United States.” Check USCIS’s I-131 filing-addresses page; the instructions warn that misfiled applications cause delays and may be denied or rejected.
- Evidence. Attach a copy of the USCIS document showing your asylee status, or the immigration judge’s order granting asylum, plus anything else that supports eligibility.
- Biometrics. Applicants aged 14 to 79 may need to submit biometrics at a USCIS ASC. If USCIS requires them, attend before you leave; if you depart before they are collected, USCIS may deny the application.
- Pickup abroad. USCIS can send the refugee travel document to a US Embassy, US Consulate or USCIS international field office for you to pick up, if you make that request when you file. The instructions caution that “the alien may not be able to pick up their Refugee Travel Document at all U.S. Embassies and U.S. Consulates” because available services may be limited at some locations.
Translations. USCIS’s Spanish-language I-131 page says that any document you submit in a foreign language must include a complete English translation, together with the translator’s certification that the translation is complete and accurate and that the translator is qualified to translate into English.
Validity and limits
- Validity. “A Refugee Travel Document is valid for 1 year.” Under 8 CFR part 223 it is valid “for 1 year, or to the date the refugee or asylee status expires, whichever comes first”. It cannot be extended.
- One at a time. USCIS may refuse a new document if you already hold a valid one, unless you return it or show it was lost or destroyed, or if a Federal Register notice bars issuance for travel to the place you intend to go.
- Invalidation. A travel document obtained through a materially false representation or concealment is invalid, as is any travel document of someone ordered removed or deported. A refugee travel document is also invalid if the 1951 UN Refugee Convention ceases to apply or does not apply to you under its Articles 1C, D, E or F.
- Coming back. A DHS officer at the port of entry determines admissibility. Under 8 CFR part 223, a holder of a valid unexpired refugee travel document who appears to the examining immigration officer to be inadmissible is referred for proceedings under section 240 of the Act.
If you already left without the document
The instructions allow, at USCIS’s discretion, an application from outside the US, and USCIS decides whether to accept it. “The alien must file their application within 1 year of their last departure from the United States” and should include an explanation of why they did not apply for the refugee travel document before leaving.
Biometrics from abroad. The instructions say that applicants for a refugee travel document who are outside the United States may need to submit biometrics at a US Embassy, US Consulate or USCIS international office, and that USCIS will advise the applicant where to submit them depending on their location. After filing, USCIS notifies you in writing of the time and location of the biometric services appointment; failure to appear may result in denial of the application.
After a Green Card or citizenship
Asylees who become permanent residents can still apply for a refugee travel document, as the table above shows. For naturalization, see our N-400 guide. This page does not address how US citizenship interacts with the Guatemalan nationality you hold.
What we could not confirm
- Guatemalan entry rules for refugee travel document holders: not covered by the USCIS sources we read.
- Processing times: not taken from USCIS’s processing-times tool for this page.
- Pickup at the US Embassy in Guatemala City: the instructions say pickup is not available at all embassies; we did not confirm the Guatemala City embassy’s services.
Sources
- USCIS, Travel Documents (last reviewed 08/21/2026): https://www.uscis.gov/green-card/green-card-processes-and-procedures/travel-documents
- USCIS, Form I-131 page (last reviewed 10/07/2026): https://www.uscis.gov/i-131 and Spanish page https://www.uscis.gov/es/i-131
- USCIS, Form I-131 instructions (edition 01/20/25): https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/i-131instr.pdf
- USCIS, Form G-1055 fee schedule (edition 10/07/26): https://www.uscis.gov/sites/default/files/document/forms/g-1055.pdf
- 8 U.S.C. 1158, US Code 2024 edition: https://www.govinfo.gov/link/uscode/8/1158
- 8 CFR part 223 (eCFR): https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-8/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-223
All sources read 15 October 2026. General information, not legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I travel to Guatemala if I was granted asylum in the US?
The US rules do not make it a simple yes. You need a refugee travel document (or an advance parole document) to come back if you are an asylee who is not a permanent resident. And the Form I-131 instructions warn asylees who travel to the country of claimed persecution that, if they applied for asylum on or after April 1, 1997, their asylum status may be terminated if it is determined that they voluntarily availed themselves of the protection of their country of nationality. If your asylum claim was about Guatemala, talk to an immigration attorney before you plan the trip.
What document does an asylee need to return to the US?
USCIS says you must have a refugee travel document to return if you have refugee or asylee status but are not a permanent resident, or if you are a derivative asylee or refugee. The I-131 instructions add that asylees who are not permanent residents need it unless they have an advance parole document. Without it, USCIS warns you may be unable to re-enter or may be placed in removal proceedings before an immigration judge.
How much does a refugee travel document cost for an asylee?
Per the USCIS fee schedule (Form G-1055, edition 10/07/26): $165 if you hold asylee status, or are a permanent resident as a direct result of asylee status, and are 16 or older; $135 if you are under 16. The same row lists $0 for people who now hold refugee status (or are permanent residents through refugee status). The fee schedule notes that certain applicants may be eligible for a fee waiver with Form I-912.
Can I file for a refugee travel document online?
No. The USCIS Form I-131 page lists refugee travel documents (Part 1, Box 2 or 3) as an application type that cannot be filed online, so it goes by mail to the address on USCIS’s I-131 filing-addresses page.
How long is a refugee travel document valid?
The I-131 instructions say it is valid for 1 year and its validity cannot be extended. The regulation in 8 CFR part 223 says it is valid for 1 year or until the refugee or asylee status expires, whichever comes first.
I already left the US without the document. Can I still apply?
Possibly, at USCIS’s discretion. The instructions say USCIS may allow an asylee outside the US to file Form I-131 and will decide whether to accept the application. The application must be filed within 1 year of the last departure and should include an explanation of why the person did not apply before leaving. If you apply from outside the US, you may need to submit biometrics at a US Embassy, US Consulate or USCIS international office; USCIS will tell you where, depending on your location.
Does getting a Guatemalan passport matter for an asylee?
Part 6 of Form I-131 asks whether you have received any benefit, travel document, passport or reentry permit since you were granted asylum, and whether you have returned to the country from which you sought asylum. USCIS’s optional evidence checklist asks for a statement explaining any yes answer in Part 6. How a Guatemalan passport is weighed in a given case is a legal question for an attorney; this page does not answer it.
What happens when I come back to the US with the document?
A DHS officer at the port of entry determines your admissibility when you present the refugee travel document. Under 8 CFR part 223, if a holder of a valid unexpired refugee travel document appears to the examining immigration officer to be inadmissible, they are referred for proceedings under section 240 of the Act.
